Tales of Two Laptops in Tan Binh District, TP HCM

Nice to see such stories of everyday life in Vietnam.....

Always thought NEWS stories reported things that didn't happen everyday.... that's why they make the news....

I don't think this story is relevant on Expat.com ?

Thieves are non-discriminatory.

Many Foreigners are attacked for their electronics around here, in fact there are reports some in this forum of a guy sitting is a restaurant and some thief walked in and snatched his laptop right off the table and ran.

You have to be aware.

Unless you can run like a gazelle, you've lost the chase.

There was also an incident a short while back where a guy on a motorcycle rode into a restaurant and his buddy demanded (and got) purses, wallets and cell phones then the pair drove off.

As I said, the could care less about your status, Foreigners are roving money chests.

Jaitch wrote:

Thieves are non-discriminatory.

You have to be aware.

Of course you do, but this is not applicable to being an expat. It's the same as living any where in the world! There are thieves about so you have to be aware of that everywhere.
Should we post in every expat forum the local news stories highlighting the dangers of being robbed\mugged\murdered\raped ?

Tourists are always easy prey, tend to be a little off guard.

An occasional reminder every so often never harms. Forget tourists, Foreigners are easy pray - everywhere.

Pretending everything is 'nice' is foolhardy. What of the four people who met on the weekend (two brothers, another guy and a girl) to discuss a motorcycle loan? At the end of the meeting two were dead and two in jail. Happened is District 1,in public and anyone could have been injured.

And see how many people, including Foreigners, happily walking along carrying what is obviously a computer bag - a target.

Jaitch wrote:

Pretending everything is 'nice' is foolhardy.

No one is suggesting we all wear rose coloured glasses, but for the expat(or anyone) statistics are generally enough to be able to gauge the crime rates. Plenty of places(news sources) to find detailed information if you want that.
The point is they appear in the news because they are not everyday events. That's not to say muggings/robberies don't happen everyday but not all are so violent.

Jaitch wrote:

What of the four people who met on the weekend (two brothers, another guy and a girl) to discuss a motorcycle loan? At the end of the meeting two were dead and two in jail. Happened is District 1,in public and anyone could have been injured.

that was some meeting.. 2 dead and 2 in jail what the heck were you doing? I'll guess robbing a bank seeing as we are talking about crime. But again RTA's happen everywhere and many people die or end up in prison.

Jaitch wrote:

And see how many people, including Foreigners, happily walking along carrying what is obviously a computer bag - a target.

Of course they target high value items and as you've pointed out including foreigners (although not in either of these stories).... Or would you rather everyone stayed in doors only traveled in cars with armed escorts and live in enclosed secure compounds?

Life is full of risks no matter where you live we all chose to live here and come to forums such as this to find out information about living in other countries

Do you post on local forums of crimes in Canada ?

Freak said: No one is suggesting we all wear rose coloured glasses, but for the expat(or anyone) statistics are generally enough to be able to gauge the crime rates. Plenty of places(news sources) to find detailed information if you want that.
The point is they appear in the news because they are not everyday events. That's not to say muggings/robberies don't happen everyday but not all are so violent.

Me thinks you either live in or work in a rough area. What statistics? I don't see any numbers here to judge my risk when I visit the big city?
I seem to get the impression that English newspapers censor their news so only "nice" things get reported. I hear much more jicy details from my Vietnamese buddoes who read Vietnamese papers.

Freak said: that was some meeting.. 2 dead and 2 in jail what the heck were you doing? I'll guess robbing a bank seeing as we are talking about crime.

I guess this is supposed to be a joke gainst the poster. Even in Ha Tien we read about this, and the dispute or whatever was in public and around other people. Saw this clearly on TV.

I don't think anyone suggested "stayed in doors" just folks be aware these things happen.

Now I know not to carry my stuff without care in Saigon, I'm sure other people will like knowing, too. Living is a quiet corner of the country can make you a little naive.

I don't understand the Canada comment - except that Canada has open reporting and doesn't need any assist, nor does Europe we get all the news. In these parts we don't. So I see it's value for one.

WorzelGummidge wrote:

Me thinks you either live in or work in a rough area.

I've lived in a lot rougher areas\countries than the place I currently live and work. I certainly wouldn't class it as either.

WorzelGummidge wrote:

What statistics? I don't see any numbers here to judge my risk when I visit the big city?

Try this :
http://bit.ly/VuNt4o

WorzelGummidge wrote:

I seem to get the impression that English newspapers censor their news so only "nice" things get reported.

All news is censored when reported even in so called free countries. currently the uk press are being suppressed from printing a story about a member of the royal family amongst other stories.

WorzelGummidge wrote:

Now I know not to carry my stuff without care in Saigon,

But how is this any different to any other major city in the world? Crime happens everywhere and if you fail to

WorzelGummidge wrote:

I don't understand the Canada comment

That's because you're not from Canada and the comment was for referral to the OP who is...

WorzelGummidge wrote:

except that Canada has open reporting and doesn't need any assist, nor does Europe we get all the news. In these parts we don't.

And yet this story was taken from the local news sites as quoted, so is obviously being reported openly....

Yes, I would agree many places in the UK are a "lot rougher areas" than here, which adds to the need for awareness.

Your link is bad. If you need stats use the VN government site or read the local police reports.

There is self-censor ship and there is government imposed censorship and there is a big difference. The UK press practices are governed by a 'council' whose members are from the press. Their rules are voluntary but if a newspaper publishes despite a ruling, they do so at potential risk of court action. There are also privacy laws at play there, as well as in France.

You, Freak, said: "But how is this any different to any other major city in the world?". Plenty, compared, say, to London or New York. People become blasé about safety in TP HCM.

Canada has open reporting, very little goes unpublished somewhere, especially since we have so many 24/7 news outlets. The cops are always complaining about unrestrained reporting.

Few people read the press here, few monitor news sites. When did you last read the Cong An newspaper?

I know why you complain/react - your use of the word "aimed" sums it up.

Jaitch wrote:

Your link is bad.

Worked fine for me. Just need to wait a second or two and it does the rest.

Jaitch wrote:

There is self-censor ship and there is government imposed censorship and there is a big difference.

If you need stats use the VN government site or read the local police reports.

So, based on what you just said, if I go to the VN government site, how do I know those "stats" won't be massaged/censored somehow?

I know the Chinese government hides important information and statistics from its citizens all the time, and I don't see the VN government as any different. (And I'm constantly told that everything they know, they learned from the Chinese.)